Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Kyiv’s "decision-making centers" could become targets for the Oreshnik missile, a newly unveiled intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
Speaking at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Astana on November 28, Putin said Russia’s military is actively selecting targets in Ukraine, including military facilities, defense enterprises, and key government sites. This was reported by the Kyiv Independent.
Russia first deployed a Oreshnik missile on November 21 in an attack on Dnipro.
While Putin claims the missile is impossible to counter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky refuted the assertion, following Kyiv’s successful strikes on Russian soil using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles.
Oreshnik’s Capabilities
Putin announced that Russia has begun mass-producing the Oreshnik missile, which he says could deliver a strike comparable to nuclear weapons in terms of power, though it is not classified as a weapon of mass destruction.
Previously, U.S. intelligence suggested Russia possesses only a limited number of these missiles, labeling them experimental.
Despite Putin’s claims, experts have expressed skepticism, noting the Oreshnik appears to be based on the RS-26 Rubezh IRBM. Additionally, a recent Oreshnik missile fired at Ukraine carried inert warheads without explosives, according to Reuters, citing senior Ukrainian government sources.
This latest escalation follows Kyiv’s first successful use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles, targeting military sites in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions. Putin’s threats underscore the increasing volatility in the conflict, with both sides escalating their use of advanced weaponry.
As of November 28, Russia launched nearly 200 aerial targets overnight at Ukrainian cities, continuing its daily drone, missile, and bomb strikes.
